COP internal elections Nov 19

Richardson Dhalai

THE Congress of the People (COP) is forging ahead with its leadership election on November 19 after the legal challenge to the chairmanship of Jamieson Bahadur was withdrawn by one of its members, Kirt Francis.

In a media release, the party stated it was informed at a national council meeting last Sunday by attorney David Kidney, who represented Bahadur, that Francis had withdrawn his claim against Bahadur and the COP.

Bahadur told the national council meeting that, “it is incumbent on all of us, to continue to build this party, knowing that Trinidad and Tobago needs to have a Government, who would operate as servants of the people in moving our country forward.” The date for the election of political leader has been set for November 19, between the hours of 9 am and 6 pm.

Nomination day is October 23, and the withdrawal deadline on November 3. Bahadur said he was confident the election would be held on November 19 as the legal matter had been “thrown out” by the court on October 4 and the party was in the process of contacting its membership about the election.

“The COP is an alternative because, let’s face it, without the COP, the UNC cannot win government,’ he said, adding, “It has to be a coalition government.”

Asked whether the court action had hurt the party’s image, he said, “Yes, it hurt us for a while but now that we are in contact with the mass membership, they have accepted the fact that it is done now and everything is back to normal.”

Until the elections, an interim committee comprising: deputy chairman Indra Narayansingh; secretary – finance Zenel Hassan; secretary – communications Sharon Fraser and secretary – membership and mobilisation Wendell Eversley was appointed.